This credit is weighted more heavily for institutions located in areas of water stress and scarcity and less heavily for institutions in areas with relative water abundance. The points available for this credit are determined by the level of ”Physical Risk QUANTITY” for the institution’s main campus,, as indicated by the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlasand detailed in the following table:

A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:

UNC uses non-potable water from multiple sources including: reclaimed water from the local water and sewer authority, harvested rainwater stored in cisterns, and collected condensate.

The Energy Services Chilled Water utility is the largest user of non-potable water at UNC. Non-potable water (primarily reclaimed water) is used for cooling tower make-up water at the five, central chilled water plants on campus.

Both above and below ground cisterns store clean rainwater that is harvested to flush toilets and irrigate landscapes. These include the football practice fields, Fetzer Field, Boshamer Stadium (baseball). When rainwater is insufficient, reclaimed wastewater from OWASA provides a non-potable backup.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives (e.g. building retrofits):

Water saving toilets, sinks, showers, and urinals are specified in new building projects and renovations. During the 2001/2002 and 2007/2008 droughts significant investments were made in a variety of water consuming technologies.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution and complete the Data Inquiry Form.

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System

(STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and
universities to measure their sustainability performance.